Playoff Picture: Division I football

The postseason doesn't officially start until next weekend, but there is what amounts to a playoff game on the schedule for Friday - Londonderry at Salem.

The winner is in the South Conference championship game at Pinkerton, while the loser goes home. There are a handful of other games that will determine who continues to play into November, and who is done until next August, but none have the win-or-go-home label that Lancers vs. Blue Devils does.

Here's a look at the playoff picture for Division I.

East Conference

1. Exeter (6-2, 11.50)
2. Portsmouth (5-3, 9.50)
3. Spaulding (2-6, 3.25)
4. Winnacunnet (1-7, 1.25)
5. Dover (0-8, 0.00)

If the conference title game was this week: Portsmouth at Exeter. Thanks to its head-to-head win over Portsmouth, Exeter will host the East Conference game regardless of what either team does in the final week of the regular season.

Clinched: Exeter, Portsmouth.

Eliminated: Spaulding, Winnacunnet, Dover.

North Conference

1. Bedford (8-0, 16.50)
2. Concord (6-2, 10.75)
3. Manchester Memorial (5-3, 9.25)
4. Goffstown (4-4, 7.25)
5. Manchester Central (3-5, 4.75)

If the conference title game was this week: Concord at Bedford. The Bulldogs will host the championship game, but who that will be against hinges on the final week of the season. If Concord wins at Exeter, or if Memorial loses to Goffstown, the Crimson Tide will be in the title game. If Memorial beats Goffstown and Concord loses to Exeter, than the Crusaders are in the title game.

Clinched: Bedford.

Eliminated: Goffstown, Manchester Central.

South Conference

1. Pinkerton (8-0, 17.25)
2. Londonderry (7-1, 13.00)
3. Salem (7-1, 13.00)
4. Timberlane (3-5, 4.75)
5. Merrimack (2-6, 3.00)

If the conference title game was this week: Londonderry/Salem at Pinkerton. It's simple: the winner of Friday's Londonderry-Salem game will play at Pinkerton in the title game. The loser becomes this year's example of why the postseason system needs to be tweaked.

Clinched: Pinkerton.

Eliminated: Timberlane, Merrimack.

West Conference

1. Alvirne (4-4, 7.00)
2. Nashua South (4-4, 6.75)
3. Bishop Guertin (3-5, 5.25)
4. Nashua North (2-6, 3.75)
5. Keene (0-8, 0.00)

If the conference title game was this week: Nashua South at Alvirne. One thing is certain, and that's that Alvirne will be playing in the title game, regardless of what happens this weekend. Where that game will happen depends on two games. If Alvirne beats Timberlane, it will host the title game against the winner of the Nashua South-Bishop Guertin game. If Alvirne loses, and South beats Bishop Guertin, the Panthers will host the Broncos in the title game. If Alvirne loses, and Bishop Guertin beats South, than the Cardinals would host the Broncos in the title game.

Clinched: Alvirne.

Eliminated: Nashua North, Keene.

Key games on the schedule

• Friday, Oct. 31: Concord at Exeter, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 31: Londonderry at Salem, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 31: Bishop Guertin at Nashua South, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 31: Timberlane at Alvirne, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 1: Manchester Memorial at Goffstown, 1 p.m.

Postseason schedule

• Conference championship games: Saturday, Nov. 8, at home of higher seed, 1 p.m.
• Semifinals: Saturday, Nov. 15, at home of higher seed, 1 p.m.
• Championship: Saturday, Nov. 22, at University of New Hampshire, 6 p.m.